Electricity-meter.



Nb. 741,527. PATENTED 0GT.'13,'1903';

' W. M. MORDEY & G. c. FRIGKE-R.

ELECTRICITY METER.

APPLICATION PI-LED APR. 7, 1902. no MODEL. z SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

witnesses I v Q 7 I Z we n[ar s' we now; PETERS c0 mumu'mo" wAsrimcfon a c No. 741,521 PATENTED OCT. 13

W. M; MOR'DEY & G. '0. FRIGKER.

ELECTRIGITYMETER;

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. 1902.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

witnesses.

- WILLIAM MORRIS MORDEY ANlj iiio. 741,527.

UNITED STATES Patented October 13, 1903'.

PATENT OFFICE.

GUY OAREYFRIOKER, on ESTMINST R, ENGLAND.

ELECTRICITY-METER SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,527, dated October 13, 1903.

Application filed April '7, 1902. Serial No. 1011708. (No motlell and December 18, 1900, the object-being to insure greater durability and a higher degree of accuracy throughout the wholeworking range of such instruments than heretofore.

The invention consists, for the purposes mentioned, in various novel features of construction and in combinations and arrangements of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims annexed. 1

In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Figure 1 shows in elevation an electricity-me ter of the kind referred to constructed accord ing to the present invention, the casing inclosing the meter being in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a side view taken at right angles to Fig. 1, showing part of the meter. Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 2, showing a modification. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 show diagrammatically an armature and coil thereon, the figures showing three difierent modes of coupling up the coil ends, ashereinafter described. Fig. 6 is a section on the line A A of Fig. 1, showing a detail. Figs. 7-, 8, and 9 show, respectively, in side elevation, front elevation,

I and plan a modified form of damping device for limiting the. oscillations of the armature the coil 0 the armature a will be caused by of the meter. Fig. 10 shows in plan a further modified arrangement of damping device.

a. is the armature of the meter, fixed on a spindle b and mounted to oscillate within the coil or winding 0, through which the current to be measured is caused to flow, and dis a clock-train provided with a springless escapement e, acting upon a balance wheel or disk f, fixed 0n the spindle b, the arrangement being such that when a current fiowsf through the combined action of the current and escapement to oscillate at a rate proportional to the current, as described in our said former specifications.

On the oscillating armature a of the meter,

preferably constructed of a disk of non-magnetic material in which a series of parallel iron wires (1 are placed, as described in our said former specifications, is placed a coil 9, Fig. 1, wound so that in the middle posi 6':

tion of the oscillation of the armature it will be coaxial with the fixed coil 0 of the meter. This armature-coil g may be arranged in parallel or in series with the fixed coil,'as shown,

respectively, in Figs. 3 and 4, the current being sent through it by suitable flexible connections h or mercury connections 70, these arrangements being suitable either for direct or alternate currents. We may, asshown in Fig. 5, dispense with the iron of the armature and depend on the solenoidal action of the coils 0 and gin conjunction with the escapement action for oscillating the armature. For alternate currents the armature-coil g is preferably closed on itself, as shown in Fig. 5.

Secondary currents are then induced in it by the current in the fixed coil 0, the directive action due to these currents in conjunction .with the escapement action producing the required oscillating movement of the armature.

We may in this case also dispense with the iron of the armature, as. shown.

In order to secure a nearly-constant amplitude of movement of thearmature, however constructed, at all working rates of oscillation and within practical limits independently of the strength of the clock-spring, we arrange that toward the ends of the stroke friction shall limit the extent'of oscillation of the armature in such a way as to diminish the nat- 9o ural difference between the .longest and shortest amplitudes of the latter at the lowest and highest loads, respectively, and thus to counteract the tende'ncyto quicken unduly when the directingforces are large. way the amplitude of oscillation is prevented from becoming unduly large at low loads. The friction is so applied that it only opposes the increase of amplitudein either direction and does not prevent the free return move- I00 --m,ent of the armature.

suitablefor the purpose mentioned comprises,

In this 5 r A friction device as shown in Fig. 6, a V-shaped or forked piece or plate m of metal pivoted at 'n to the stationary plate 0 and arranged to be moved to and fro by a pin or projection 19, carried by the armature or armature-spindle. In Fig. l the pin 19 is shown as carried by the balance wheel or disk f. The pin 12 moves between the two arms of the V-piece m,which are separated by such an angle that the pinp only strikes the V-piece near the limit of its stroke in either direction. When the V-piece is so struck, the excess of energy is dissipated by the friction of the V piece acting in one direction as a sliding stop on the plate 0, but allowing the armature freedom to return until the V-picce is again struck by the pin at the other extremity of its stroke, when the V- piece is similarly moved in the reverse direction.

ranged horizontally, as shown.

tween the poles of a pair of magnets q. Also in either case instead of the damping-piece m being moved by a pin 19, carried by the arma' ture-spindle I), it may, as shown in Fig. 10,

be in the form of a finger on, frictionally mounted to turn on the spindle and be moved by striking against fixed side stops 0.

To reduce pivot or bearing friction and to prevent the difficulty sometimes experienced with electricity-meters when the armaturespindle is arranged verticallyviz., wearing or cracking of footstep-bearings or jewels and injury to pivots-and also to enable an armature having a larger moment of inertia than would otherwise be practicable to be used, the armature a, which is constructed so as to have a large moment of inertia, and the armature-spindle b may according to this invention be supported by a practically torsionless fiber s, Fig. 1, so arranged that while the armature a is free to move through its full amplitude the whole or almost the whole weight is carried by the fiber. Preferably this fiber is hung from a spring or combined with a spring 25 to facilitate adjustment and to prevent breakage of the fiber or damage to the pivots or jewels by any sudden jar or vibration of the armature. The spring may,

as shown, conveniently be interposed between the armature-spindle b and fiber s. WVith this mode of suspension center pivots or jewels may in some cases be dispensed with, simple guiding-holes in the plates 0 and The V-piece may conveniently be ar-' If otherwise 1 arranged, it should be balanced so that it has no tendency to move from the position ittakes up when struck by the oscillating pinl To do not limit ourselves to this par-; ticular construction of friction device and; only describe it as one convenient means of attaining the end mentioned. The same result can be obtained by damping the movement of the metallic stop-piece m in a mag-l netic field instead of employing ordinary mechanical friction. Figs. 7, S, and 9 show an arrangement for this purpose wherein the ends l of the arms of the metal V-piecem are each arranged to move in a magnetic field set up be- 0' being used for the armature-spindle b. The fiber s or combined fiber s and spring 25 is or are suspended from an adjustable pin 3, whereby the tension of the connected fiber and spring can be adjusted vertically so as to relieve the bottom bearing of more or less of the weight of the armature.

In order to compensate for or counteract the eifcct of magnetic retentiveness in any iron contained in the oscillating armature a of the meter, means may be provided to weaken or counteract the field produced by the main coil 0. One arrangement for this purpose comprises, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a high-resistance coil 0, that is adapted to be connected as a shunt across the constantpressure-supply mains with which the meter is used, and which is so disposed, as shown, as to slightly weaken or counteract the field produced by the main coil 0. This resistancecoil 1; may be wound on the same bobbin as the main coil 0. In the example it is mounted upon the said coil 0 and fixed in such a position thereon as is necessary to give theright amount of correction, or the said shunt-coil u may be arranged quite distinct from the main coil 0, as shown in Fig. 2, and so connected as to oppose or weaken the field of such coil. In this case the coil '1; may contain an iron core o. A resistance to, Fig. 1, preferably a non-inductive resistance, may be put in series with the shunt-coil 'U or 1). These arrangements are suitable for either direct-current or alternate-current meters. For direct-current meters we may dispense with the shunt-coil o and use a small permanent magnet so disposed as to slightly oppose or counteract the field of the meter-coil c. In Fig. 2 a horizontal permanent magnet :12 is for the purpose mentioned shown fixed to the framework y of the meter in such a manner that it can be moved endwise nearer to or farther from the end of the coil 0, so as to vary its action on the field thereof.

The meter is provided, as usual, with a suitable counter worked from the clockwork for recording the amount of electricity supplied. This counter is indicated diagrammatically at z in Fig. 1.

What we claim is- 1. In an electricity-meter of the type herein referred to, the combination with the fixed meter-coil, the clock-train, the springless escapement, the oscillatory part of the meter, and a counter adapted to register, the number of oscillations of said armature and directly indicate the amount of electricity supplied, of a coil mounted on said oscillatory part.

2. In an electricity-meter of the type herein referred to, the combination with the fixed meter-coil, the cscapement, and the oscillatory part of the meter located within said fixed coil, of a coil mounted upon said oscillatory part so as to be coaxial with said fixed coil when in the mid-position of its oscillation, substantially as described.

3. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the fixed meter-coil, the escapement, and the oscillatory part of the meter mounted Within said fixed coil, of a closed coil carried by said oscillating part.

4:. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the fixed meter-coil, the escapement, and the oscillatory armature of the meter located within said fixed coil, of a coil carried by said armature, substantially as. described.

5. In an electricity-meter of the kind hereinv referred to, the combination with the fixed meter-coil, the escapement, and an oscillatory armature comprisingsubdivided iron, ofa coil carried by said armature. I

' 6. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the fixed meter-coil, the escapement, and an oscillatory armature comprising a number of iron wires arranged parallel to one another and a nonmagnetic carrier therefor; of a coil carried by said armature.

7. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein 1 referred to, the combination With the fixed metor-coil, the escapement, and the oscillatory armature of the meter located Within said fixed coil, of a coil carried by said armature and closed upon itself, substantially as described.

8. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the oscillat= ing armature,of means disconnected from said armature and adapted to limit and regulate the extent of oscillation of said armature in each direction, said means being arranged to come into action only near the end of each stroke of the armature and to then oppose a retarding but yielding force to the armature movement during the completion of the stroke.

9. In an electricity-meter of the-kind herein referred to, the combination with the'oscillatory armature, of anenergy-absorloing device disconnected from said armature, arranged to act upon the armature only when the same nears the end of but before it completes its stroke in each direction, and to then exert a damping effect on the armature during the remaining portion of its stroke.

10. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the oscillatory armature, of a pivoted damping device,

near the limit of its stroke in each direction, substantially as described.

12. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the fixed coil, of an oscillatory armature, a practically torsionless fiber, and a spring connected to said fiber and arranged to support said armature, substantially as described.

13. In an electricity-meterof the kind herein referred to, the combination with the fixed coil, of an oscillatory armature having a large moment of inertia, a practically torsionless fiber and a spring, said fiber and spring being connected together and to the said armature so as to suspend the latter, substantially as described.

14L. In an electricity-meter of the kindherein referred to, the combination with the fixed coil, of an oscillatory armature, a practically torsionless fiber arranged to support said armature, a spring connected to said fiber, and means for adjusting said connected armature,

fiber and' spring vertically, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

15. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the fixed coil, of an oscillatory armature having a large moment of inertia, a practically torsionless fiber and a spring connected together and to said armature, and vertically-adj ustable supporting means for saidconnected fiber, spring and armature, substantially as described.

16. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the meter coil and oscillatory armature,of means adapted to compensate for or counteract the efiect of retentiveness in any iron contained in said armature.

17. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the metercoil and oscillatory armature,of means adapted to weaken or counteract the field produced by said meter-coils,

18. In an electricity-meterof the kind heiein referred ttfthe combination with the meter- 7 coil and oscillatory armature, of means forv producing an opposing magnetic field to that of the meter-coil.

19. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the metercoil and oscillatory armature, of a magnet arranged to weaken or counteract the field produced by said meter-coil, substantially as described.

20. In an electricity-meter of the kind herein referred to, the combination with the metercoil and oscillatory armature, of a permanent magnet arranged to weaken or counteract the field produced by said metencoil.

Signed at 75 and 77 Oornhill,London, England, this 2 6th day of March, 1902.

WILLIAM MORRIS MORDEY. GUY CAREY FRIOKER.

Witnesses:

PEnoY E. MATIOOKS,

EDM ND S. SNEWIN. Y 

